First Posted: 1/5/2015
TUNKHANNOCK – Scranton Prep’s Thor Balavage pushed his unbeaten record all the way through the Lackawanna League Tournament to the finals of the Tunkhannock Kiwanis Tournament before finally suffering his first loss of the season.
Balavage finished second at 220 pounds in the tournament Dec. 29-30 when he was one of just two finalists from the Lackawanna League, which had nine of the 26 schools entered in the event.
“Just being able to be in the final was good for me,” Balavage said. “I do see an improvement from last season.
“Getting there was good, but I just wish I could have had a better outcome.”
After going 29-10 and reaching the District 2 finals last season as a sophomore, Balavage won his first 13 bouts this season, pinning nine of 11 opponents and taking two forfeits.
Wyalusing’s Dylan Otis, a Northeast Regional champion who was fourth in the state in Class AA last season, ended that run with a pin in 1:37 of the 220-pound final at Tunkhannock.
Valley View’s Matt Judge, who was second at 152 pounds, was the only other finalist from the Lackawanna League.
Balavage made the final by pinning two of his first three opponents.
Wyalusing outscored Cranford, N.J., 241-197.5, for the team title. Abington Heights was 10th with 97.5 points, Lackawanna Trail was 17th with 57 and Scranton Prep was 19th with 46.
Luke Fayocavitz and Nick Carr led the way for Abington Heights, bouncing back from early losses to place third at 113 and 152 pounds.
Both wrestlers went 5-1 in the tournament. Fayocavitz had three pins, including two in under a minute.
Noah Sirianni, at 106, and James Fayocavitz, at 126, finished fourth.
Tyler Baltrusaitis led Lackawanna Trail by finishing fourth at 132.
Justin Ganser was fifth at 113, while D.J. Klinges (152) and Trent Phillips (182) was seventh.
Bruce Parola was Scranton Prep’s other placewinner, taking eighth at 160 pounds.